Photo source 439 Archives

Competition grew fierce among our squadrons. Zulu alert status was held continually throughout the year by two squadrons at a time, meaning that of the eight squadrons each one of them held Zulu one every out of four. Normally the same two squadrons would be on duty at the same time.

For instance, 439 squadron was ususally on Zulu at the same time as 427 Squadron based at Zwiebrucken, and practice intercepts with sections of four aircraft from each squadron opposing one another were regularily carried out. Destroyed and damaged results were kept on film and at the end of each Zulu,the two squadrons compared their claims with great glee.